KDOC will be lifting many of the restrictions placed on in-person visitation. The change will take effect May 13, 2022 for Winfield Correctional Facility, and all other correctional facilities on May 14, 2022.
Visitors, residents and staff in the visitation areas will no longer be required to wear masks. A passive screening process will be used, asking visitors and residents a series of questions about COVID-19 symptoms or contact with anyone within the last 14 days being suspected of having the coronavirus, and temperatures will no longer be taken. Appropriate physical contact will be allowed, and plexiglass barriers will no longer be used.
"Family and friends are a critical part of each resident’s support network," said Kansas Secretary of Corrections Jeff Zmuda, "and I know these past two years, particularly when all in-person visitation was closed, were enormously difficult for everyone involved.
Zmuda noted that there is always the possibility that adjustments will need to be made as KDOC continues to monitor the impact the pandemic has on congregate living situations such as those that exist in our facilities.
"But for now this is welcome news indeed," he said.
More information can be found here: Visitation In-Person — (ks.gov)
]]>Kansas PRB Chair Jonathan Ogletree was elected as president of APAI during the organization’s meeting. Prior to his most recent APAI election, Ogletree served as the regional vice president (2017) and was later elected vice president of APAI.
Ogletree has been a member of the Kansas PRB since 2011 and was named chair in 2016. He currently serves as a member of the Kansas Sentencing Commission. He began his career at Lansing Correctional Facility as a corrections officer in 1989.
The conference included many opportunities for members to attend sessions on a variety of topics. Audrey Cress, director of KDOC Office of Victim Services, presented a session on vicarious trauma, a shift in world view that can come after being repeatedly exposed to the traumatic experience of others. Individuals who work in the corrections field can develop symptoms similar to PTSD, and the session included strategies to guard against the cumulative effect of exposure to negative information.
APAI exclusively serves parole and releasing authorities, and is a national and international resource and discussion network for the exchange of information within all areas impacting parole. Its mission is to enhance public safety and the recognition of victim rights by being involved with the development of national and international research-based parole policy.
The Kansas PRB is looking forward to hosting next year’s APAI Conference in Kansas City, MO, scheduled for April 2023
]]>KDOC offers the opportunity to earn the credits necessary for a diploma, and so far this year, at the end of the third quarter, a total of 39 KDOC residents will earn their Kansas High School diploma.
There are many staff members who assist in this important education program. Through the leadership of Lori Hamilton, Smoky Hill Education Service Center education coordinator for the KDOC project, the planning process has changed to bring about earlier identification of individuals who are near the credits needed to earn their high school diploma. Additional focus is also being placed on providing services for those who might need special education or Title I support.
Hamilton was recently honored (pictured at left with Holly Chavez, facilities services administrator for Topeka Correctional Facility) for her work with exceptional learners throughout KDOC.
Hamilton has also been invited to provide advice and guidance on a national level to the Correctional Education Association’s State Council of Directors on working with incarcerated special education populations.
“The entire team at Smoky Hill ESC are excellent partners for both our juvenile and adult education programs,” said Kansas Secretary of Corrections Jeff Zmuda. “The department’s strategic plan, Pathway for Success, emphasizes creating opportunities for our residents to be successful. I am excited to see how our partnership can continue to flourish into the future.”
Another path for completing a high school education is through the GED program, offered throughout KDOC facilities.
“It is never too late to obtain this goal, and KDOC has staff and mentors who help our residents along their journey,” Zmuda said.
]]>"Success upon reentry into the community depends on many things, including obtaining a job that pays a livable wage. KDOC’s strategic plan, Pathway for Success, emphasizes creating opportunities for our residents to be successful," Zmuda said.
KDOC creates these opportunities through the many programs and services provided in each of the agency's facilities.
"The really exciting thing is we continue to expand, particularly in the area of education," Zmuda said.
Through Barton County Community College, Ellsworth Correctional Facility residents have access to several educational programs, including career-technical education programs and college degree classes.
Most recently,
Also receiving recognition:
"Completion of high school is the gateway to qualifying for college and career programs," Zmuda said. "It is also a requirement for most jobs. This is a huge first step to a better future, and I want to congratulate each individual who accomplished this milestone."
The celebration at Ellsworth was livestreamed and can be accessed here.
The learning celebration continued at Norton Correctional Facility, where education programs are offered through a partnership with Colby Community College.
Most recently,
"Combined with practical work experience and a nationally recognized certificate, these skills put the residents on stronger footing to reenter the workforce upon release," said Kansas Secretary of Corrections Jeff Zmuda.
The program covers kitchen basics, food service management and the ServSafe certification. Those who participate in the program complete class work, quizzes and a final exam.
Gaining employment that pays a livable wage is a foundation of success once an individual is released from prison. The program is sponsored in partnership with Aramark, KDOC's contracted food service provider.
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